China Bans Gangster Games

China cracks down on video game gangsters, just like Inspector Tequila.
Stranglehold image courtesy Midway

Suddenly president Obama’s suggestion that we “put away the Xbox” doesn’t seem all that bad.

China’s Ministry of Culture has just prohibited websites that host, promote or distribute mafia-themed games. The Xinhua news site says that a statement on the ministry’s official website advised offending websites to shut down immediately, warning that law-enforcement officials had orders to crack down on offenders. Many sites have already voluntarily complied.

“These games encourage people to deceive, loot and kill and glorify gangster life,” said the Ministry of Culture. “They are a bad influence on youngsters.”

This move is part of an ongoing trend of censorship by the Chinese government in anticipation of a celebration of communist China’s 60th year this October. Most recently concerns about in-game violence forced NetEase, the licensor for World of Warcraft in China, to work closely with the Ministry of Culture to bring the popular MMO’s servers back online.